corey r



Oct. 3, 1933. F. w. COREY Re. 18,963 I rm'mon OF MAKING KNITTING MACHINE LATCH mamas Original Filed F sh. 1, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 6, J1 "20 J Z\ f J7 X 15 1a 12 1a w I 16 w I u J6 if 1 16 16' Invenforx flfforneyat Oct. 3, 1933. F. w. COREY Re. 18,963

METHOD OF MAKING KNITTING MACHINE LATCH NEEDLES Original Filed Feb. 1, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor:

Alforreys.

' Reissued Oct. 3, 1933 UNITED A orr es, I .7 v I H METHOD OF MAKING KNITTING mom .LATCH-NEEDL1ES rredw. "Corey, '1fil1ton,'-N. assigns-r to The Torrington com any, Torrhrgton, 001111., acorporation Connecticut, Original No. 1,814,457, dated August 30, 1932,

a Serial No. 425,163, February 1,1930. I Application for reissue June .28 1933.. Serial No.

whereby a portion of the metal which forms the wall of the needle slot is punched into the hole in the latch.

According to the present invention: as distinguished from the old method the metal which forms the pivot is torced in by a tool of larger diameter than the hole in the latch, the latch being of tempered metal and the needle untempered, that is, at the time of forming theipivot themetal which forms the wall of "the needle slot is softer than that of the latch. I According to the .present invention the pivot is preferably formed by use of a tool :of larger diameter than the pivot hole in the latch operated to I -form a depression'in the outer face of the neetile 01 greater diameter than-the Jpivot hole in the latch and force the displaced metal of :the needle into thesaid'pivot hole. .Preferably this is done by two oppositelydisposed dies which are simultaneouslyactuated to engage the outer faces of the opposite wallsbf the needle slot and press portionsof-them toward each other to'form two disposed pivot -members which are forced into the pivot hole in axial alinement wit-h each other. M

viirom the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the "novel. features thereof will bev pointed out and clearly described in the claims at the 'close of this i specification.

In the drawings: Fig. l is a side view on an enlarged scale and partly broken away of a knitting machine latch needle embodying the invention. a

-. ..'The-inve'ntionwill be we fully understood.

9 claims. (01. 16M) element of Fig. 4 after the presser-members have been moved toward each other and formed the pivot connection between the needle and latch.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view-on line 66' of l on an enlarged. scale showing theunited needle and latch after the presser members have been retracted,

Fig. '7.-is awplan view showing one form of presser actuating mechanism, .the operating lever being turned part way down as shown in Fig-8. y p' Fig. ;8 is "a vertical ,sectionvon line 8.,8' of Fig-YT I v Referring to the drawings there is shown in Fig. 2 at 10 a portion of a slotted needlebefore the latch 12 is attached, the needle be'ingformed' as usual-with a slot 11 for the latch. Fig. r3 shows the la-tch before being attached to the needle and having the pivot j-hole 13.. ,The latch is tempered and the needle as yet is untempered.

j In Fig.1: the latch and needle are. shown in assembled preparatory position, the pivot hole of the latch between the cheeksof; the needle and the two axially movable pressermenibers 14, 14 in alinement'wi'th each other on opposite sides ing in a short cylindrical die portion 15 of somewhat larger diameter than the pivot -hole 13-in the 'l-atch. The shank 14 is oflarger diameter than the die portion 15 whereby there is formed a Mechanism should be provided in which :the assembled latch and needle are mounted, also mechanism in which. the die members are mounted in axial alinemen-t with each other and with the hole in the latch, also mechanism for reciprocating the two die members toward and away from each other wh-ilethe' needle and latch are in the assembled posit-ion preparatory to making the pivot connection. The presser :rnemhers will then. be actuated to'm'ove toward; each other andcause the dieportions 1'5, .1 5 to engage the outer walls of the needle slot with sufficient pressure to form a cylindrical depression 18 in the outer face of *theiwall of the needle and 7 thereby cause a-portion of the inner iace of ;the

wall to project inwardly. By reason of the fact that the hole 13 in the latch theonlyoutlet for the displaced metal of the needle, and the metal of the latch is harder than that of the wall of shoulder 16 between the shank l4 and the die I the needle slot, the latch slot will serve as a die and a portion of the wall of theneedle slot will be forced tofiow, so" to speak, into the. smaller hole in the latch. Thus there beforme'd two axial pivotportions 17, 17 integral -'with the respective side wallsof the needle slot which will fill the pivot hole in the latch.- 1

7 prevent the said walls from outward d u'r- 1 equal to one-half the diameter of thethiclcnes'sf' ing the process.

Preferably the die 15 of each presser member extends forward from the shoulder. lfi of a length of the latch so that the two" pivot portions 17; 17 will meet half way through the hole. Any suitable. mechanism may be employed for holding and clamping theneedle and latch in their assemble'd position during the op'eraiti en, also "any {suitable mechanism "may; be employed :for holdmg the presser members andtoforce "ther'n to ward each other topush inwardly a portion of the 'wallsofthe needle'slot andthereby form the pivot and then to withdraw. the presse'r members. In the presser actuating mechanism shown in the drawings the shank 14 ofeach pressermember slidably mo'un-tdina bearing 19in which it is axianymovame: oppositely' dispose'd worm screws?!) by a spring 23 one end offwhichen-'- the j presser' member. i

gages. jwith fsaid head, the-other end of saidspring en'gaging with theendofthe bearing l of V V IA; forked operating lever 24* twe arms which downward swing of the'lever24'.

having a groove 27 to forma be'dforthe needle during the operation, *One end of the said member 26 is pivoted at 28 to a member 29 rising from the supported byan adjusting screw 30 end restsiupon said base'31.

' a -While' 1 have described the latch asbeing pered' and theneedle as being untempered, that being" the preferred state: of said two members, the invention is not limited in application to precisely conditions'of the latch and needle.

are respectively wonnected withthe lieal'ls 32 0f the worm" 'screws'20 whereby thesaid screws may be rotated 1 in either direction ion their axes to -"causelinearmovement of the screw's fo'rwar'dor back according to the direction ofrotation. 'lhe forward movement forces forward the shank 14 movement.- At 25 is shown a stop to limit'the At 26 is shown an adjustable member base'31 and the other end of said member 261s whose lower The essential condition is thatthe metal 01' the latch shall qbe harder-than'that of-the needle, that'is, the walls of=the needle slot shall'be sumciently less hard or moremoldable than the latch so as to permit a'portion of the wall-of the needle-slot under pressureto be forced into theholein the latch.- f w for the'latch as above y making a bearing isjaes needleslotit. cannot become loosened through stifie'n the wallsand preventspreading,

described that is, by pressi g} Portion of the unternpered walls of the needle slot into the pivot hole in the tempered latch, each of the, two opposite walls surrounding the pivot hole of the tem'pe'redl'atch acts as one member'of a'die and I each of its two presser members of larger diam-.-. eter than the holein the latch acts as the co- The shoulders 16, 16 of the two presser members will engage the outer faces-ofthewalls-of the needle slot at the close of the initialisqueez-F ing operation which forms the vtrunnions li and operating member of the die for pressing in a portion ofthe twowalls of the needle slot to formleaidepression ;18 of larger diameter than the hole 13in the latch, the metal of the needle is'softer than'that of the latch it will yield under the pressure after themann'er of plastic substance'forced into a mould. The pressurelbeing-equal upon the two opposite sides of the needle, 'anequal' amount from each wall of the needlewill be forced into the pivot hole in the' needJe is important- In the process of itemper-ing the, needle thesteel is expandediby heatand contracted by cooling and also a thinscale is formed byo'xidization, this wall being removed assoon as the latch is put in motion, thus leaving a so-called running fit.

I wish to emphasize-the; fact that forming the pivot is no't'punched in, blltiin,di5 tinction therefrom itiis pressed in.

By my method, the bearing for the latch is of uniform diameter throughout its length and by reason of being integral with the rwallhof the use. i t.

If the bearingshouldfbeformed by a tapered punch, even thoughthebearing. is integral .with

:the wall, it will be conical-and will become dis- 7 torted-by user' If a straight .or cylindricalpunchof uniform diameter is used and the bearingis punched out, it eitheriwillinot flll the hole in the "lat'ch orit will upset and'break-o'pen the wall together with its presser portion 15 :to press upon. the needle and form the pivots 17 as previously described. When the lever 24 is turned back, the screws 20 will be-movedbackward and the expa'nsion of the springs 23 will cause the=presser members to follow the screwsin-their retreating of the" latch at its weakest point.

I 1 By the use of a die or pressern-member oflarger '[Iclaimi s 1 The method of forming aknitting machine latch needle {comprising making a needle blank with a slot'to receive a latch, forming a latch 'witha pivot hole, inserting said latchzinto-said slot, exerting pressure on the walls 701' the needle slot over the pivot hole, thereby squeezinga portion of said walls into the pivot hole in, the

latch'sufiicient to form oppositely disposed mem-' the metal have'previously described, it.has a tendency to r ..2. The method of forming a i g I v. time,

latch needle comprising making aneedle blank with a slotto receive. alatch forming a; latch with a" pivot hole, inserting said latch into said needle slot, exerting pressure upon the walls of the needle slot over the pivot hole and; over a largersurface area thanthe cross sectionof .the pivot hole-in the latch, and thereby; sgueezing portions of said walls into the pivot hole in the latch suflicient to form a solid pivot, and then tempering the needle.

3. The method of forming a knitting machine latch needle comprising making a needle blank with a slot to receive a latch, forming a latch with a pivot hole, inserting said latch in said needle slot, exerting pressure upon the walls of the needle slot to cause a flow of metal from each a wall into the pivot hole to fill the same by solid trunnions facing each other, the pressure being exerted on a greater area than the cross sectional area of the pivot hole whereby the fiow of metal outwardly is prevented and the walls of the needle blank adjacent the trunnions are kept from bulging. v

4. The method of forming a knitting machine latch needle comprising making a needle blank with a slot to receive a latch, forming a latch with a pivot hole, inserting the said latch into said needle slot, exerting pressure upon the walls of the needle slot over thepivot hole and over a larger surface area than the cross sectional area of the pivot hole thereby compressing a suflicient portion out of the cheeks of the slot to completely fill said pivot hole, thereby forming a solid cylindrical pivot, clamping the outer faces of the cheeks of the slot at the end of the pressing operation, then tempering the needle.

5. The method of forming a knitting machine latch needle comprising making an untempered needle blank with a slot to receive a latch, form- 'ing a tempered latch with a pivot hole, inserting said latch into the said needle slot, exerting pressure upon the walls of the needle slot over. the pivot hole and over a larger surface area than the cross section of the pivot hole in the latch and thereby squeezing portions of said walls into the pivot hole in the latch sufficient to fill said hole and form a solid pivot and then tempering the needle. 6. The method of forming a knitting machin latch needle comprising making an untempered needle blank with a slot to receive a latch, forming a tempered latch with a pivot hole, inserting the said latch into said needle slot while the needle is still untempered, exerting pressure upon the walls of the needle slot over the pivot hole and over a larger surface area than the cross sectional area of the pivot hole, thereby compressing a sufllcient portion out of the cheeks of the slot to completely fill said pivot hole thereby forming a solid cylindrical pivot, clamping the outer faces of the checks of the slot atthe end of y the pressing operation, then tempering the needle.

'7. The method of forming a knitting machine latch needle comprising making an 'untempered needle blank with a slot to receivea latch, forming a pivot hole in a latch, tempering the latch,

inserting the tempered latch in said needle slot,

exerting pressure upon both cheeks of the needle slot over thepivot hole and over a larger surface area than the cross sectional area of the pivot hole while the needle is still in-untempered state, thereby forming a depression in each cheek of the needle slot of greater diameter than the pivot hole and compressing a suflicient portion of the needle wall into ,sa idpivot hole to completely fill the same and form a solid pivot, then tempering the needle.

' 8. The method of forming a knitting machine latch needle comprising making an untempered needle blank with a slot to receive a latch, forming a tempered latch having a pivot hole therein, insertingsaid latch into the said needle slot,

, exerting pressure upon a portion of the outer surface of at least one of the walls of the needle slot, said pressure being over a greater surface area of said wall-than the cross sectional area of said pivot hole in the latch and thereby squeezing aportion of said wall into the pivot hole sufiicient to fill the hole. a

. 9. The method of forming a knitting machine latch needle comprising making an untempered needle blank with a slot to receive a latch, forming a tempered latch having a pivot hole therein,

inserting said latch into the said needle slot,

exerting pressure upon a portion of the outer surface of at least one of the walls of the needle slot, said pressure being over a greater surface area of said wall than the cross sectional area of said pivot hole in the latch and thereby squeezing a portion of said wall into the pivot hole sufiicient to fill the hole, and then tempering the needle.

FRED W. COREY. 

